


if these walls could talk (the stories they’d tell)

by MinSeulgi



Series: Monsta X Bingo Winter 2018 [2]
Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Library, Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Ancient Egyptian Literature & Mythology, Comedy, M/M, Mythology - Freeform, Slice of Life, Urban Fantasy, Witches, i can't comedy for the life of me but i did this series well enough, look at me go
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-01
Updated: 2019-02-01
Packaged: 2019-10-20 07:20:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17617973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MinSeulgi/pseuds/MinSeulgi
Summary: “I know what you're thinking. And the answer is yes, there's something wrong with touching books in a library if a librarian tells you not to touch them. Especially if that librarian is entrusted with guarding and maintaining them. So don't touch the books.”





	if these walls could talk (the stories they’d tell)

**Author's Note:**

> I did level 1 of the cold bingo, found [here](https://i.imgur.com/LsalRbR.png). This is for the holiday party square, and combined with/double posting for the urban fantasy square! (They never said it had to be a winter party. Or strictly party time. Liberties were taken.)
> 
> playlist for this series coming soon!
> 
> story titles take from Halsey songs! (cause I have a theme and can, obviously)
> 
> Rated because Hoseok has a potty mouth.

“Don’t touch that.”

Hoseok glances up. Across the room, arms full of dark fairy lights, Kihyun watches him with a certain sort of scrutiny that makes Hoseok’s insides twist. Normally he enjoys the feeling of Kihyun looking at him, sharp eyes bright with mirth or shining with adoration. Now they make him want to shrink back, or be swallowed up by a yawning, cavernous hole that opens up in the well-kept carpet beneath his feet.

Unfortunately, the hole doesn't open up beneath him, and shrinking away would show weakness and admittance that Hoseok agreed he was doing something wrong. And there's nothing wrong with touching books found in a library, is there?

Kihyun continues to watch with hawk-like scrutiny, brow furrowed and lips drawn downward in a frown. “I know what you're thinking,” Kihyun says as he reaches for the last bundle of lights, setting them atop the precarious stack he already holds. If he's not careful, they'll topple from his arms in a cascade of colorful glass and twisted plastic. “And the answer is yes, there's something wrong with touching books in a library if a librarian tells you not to touch them. Especially if that librarian is entrusted with guarding and maintaining them. So don't touch the books.”

Sometimes it's scary how good Kihyun is at telling exactly what Hoseok is thinking. When they'd first started dating, it had been an irritating thing, because it seemed that no matter what Hoseok did, Kihyun was always one step ahead of him. Or five. Or six.

Later, after foiling a clever attempt at a surprise party for his birthday, Kihyun had admitted to possessing the gift of foresight. It would show him the most likely outcome of events based on the current path of situations at hand and those nearby. And though the future was always changing, Kihyun had become quite adept at reading not just situations, but the people involved.

So no, it wasn't mind reading. It was the combined effect of his gift and dating one Shin Hoseok for four long, busy years.

Even with that knowledge, Hoseok itches to reach for the book again. It must be something spectacular if Kihyun's vision of the future is odd enough to warrant a warning.

But Kihyun is still watching him, and it’s with great regret that Hoseok steps away from the shelf of books, instead picking up the box of decorations Kihyun had set aside for him to carry. When Hoseok glances up again, peeking through the fringe of his bangs at his boyfriend, Kihyun is smiling, eyes bright in a manner that betrays his amusement and affection.

Hoseok follows him out the door, pausing only long enough to turn off the light and think, one last time, with such intense longing, of how he’d wanted to crack open that book.

***

When Hoseok finally emerges from the door in the office that leads back into the archives and storage area, the library is a madhouse. In the center of it all, looking perplexed and more than a little annoyed, is Kihyun. Around him, strewn across the floor, are the messy remains of two dozen cupcakes, some sort of red-sauced dessert -- hopefully not the blood pudding Kihyun had almost literally bled for -- and something more that leaves the air smelling both sweet and sour.

Or perhaps that’s the evidence, the lingering traces of the monster that had caused the chaos to begin with.

“I’ll kill him,” Kihyun says after a moment, turning in a circle where he stands. It could be worse, of course, the damage. The shelves of books are all still in place, shelved tidily and fronted with care. The unlit candles on the tables dotting the area outside of the lobby are still upright and unused, and the games and crafts surrounding the candles look just as untouched. It’s only the food that’s been destroyed, torn into by a ravenous, gluttonous beast.

And not just any ravenous, gluttonous beast.

“You’d miss him,” Hoseok supplies helpfully, as if he’s not witnessing his boyfriend planning the demise of the library’s large, stone sphinx. A stone sphinx that likes cupcakes, strawberry custard, and the spooky-themed cherry tart Kihyun had slaved over for half of the afternoon.

It’s no wonder Kihyun is so upset. Hoseok was looking forward to trying that tart. It had looked _divine_.

Kihyun shoots Hoseok a withering look, daring him to argue. “It ate my fake blood custard. And there’s pebbles on top of the few cupcakes it didn’t destroy or maim. I don’t think I’d miss it that much.”

Hoseok glances to the front door, and he thinks he recognizes the shadow that dips into the light spilling through the tinted glass of the doors, but then it’s gone before he can be sure. Across the room, grousing to himself as he cleans up the mess, Kihyun remains oblivious.

Smiling to himself, Hoseok heads for the doors.

***

“You can’t keep doing that.”

The great stone sphinx that guards the doors of the library stares blankly ahead, stock still and unmoving. But just because it’s not moving now doesn’t mean it hadn’t moved before, and it definitely doesn’t mean it won’t move again. Sphinxes are strange like that, particularly those that choose to guard libraries.

“You killed his cupcakes,” Hoseok continues with a smile, leaning back against the stone railing on the opposite side of the stairs, eyes fixed on the sphinx’s face. Was that a twitch he saw, a tick at the corner of its eyes? “And I’m personally very deeply upset by the tart massacre. I was looking forward to tasting that.”

The sphinx does move then, just enough to look at Hoseok with one large, unblinking eye.

 

> s̵̢̛̪̭̺̬̠̠̫͓̖͙͎̀̎̎̈́̒͐͆͌͐͝͝o̴͎̭͍͔̻̘̖̮̳̤̟̫͉̻͑̂͊̐̔̚̕r̶̨̛̺̙̖̲͙̘̖̖͔͔̯̮̈̎͛͂̍͂͒̾̍͌̑͂́̾͠ŗ̶̧̬̲̘̗̼̰̜͖̬̟̹̟̭͎̰̝͈̇̓̃̋̈̒͋͌̌́̉̏̾̆́̊͛̾̎̉͗̓͝y̸̛̟̭̥̣̟̦̞͔͗̀͋̂̋͗̈́̓̌͑͊͗̅̽̚͠

 

Stone grinding against stone, the groan of the earth as it moves and shifts, low, and deep, and the echo of time. Hoseok hears it every day he visits the library, often in the form of a riddle to pay for entrance into the ‘famed hall of knowledge,’ and yet it startles him every time, just as much as it had that very first day when he’d come to the library to meet Kihyun for lunch..

Hoseok’s expecting it this time, at least, and to his credit, he manages to avoid leaping into the air in surprise. He grins, too, nonchalant and amused. “I know. You like sweet things. You had a whole week last month where every riddle you asked me was about candy.”

The sphinx is quiet for a moment before its head inclines ever so slightly. It’s the closest they can get to a sigh of acceptance, and Hoseok can’t stop the bubble of pride he feels for having read between the lines for once.

“You know, you could have asked. You do guard the library. I’m sure that means you’re welcome to join our party.”

It’s strange to watch stone stiffen, but it does, and Hoseok is so busy marveling at the sight that he almost misses the response.

 

> i̸̧̢͕̙̠̭̩͚̦̣̅̓̅̍͂ ̶͔͇̠͉̭̝̽͑͗̋̄͌̃͌̉a̶̧̛̩̼̘͇̻̲̘͖̳̻̥̳͕̝̦̐̌̾̉̎̅̓͋͜m̷̖͙͋̓̈́̀̍̾̓͐͑̒̿͗̃̽̐̿̃̊͘̚͘̚͠͝ ̵̨̘̲̑͐̑̋̓̀̏̓̌̈́̌͌̽̋͐͒̈́͘t̶̨̧̛͕͓̗͉̥̻͐̒̄͛̔̀̄̈͊͠h̴̲͓͚̜̫̖̘͚̣̹̲̠̺͙̝̞̙̅̓̉̉̃̆̓̓͐̉͠͝ͅe̶̡̨̡̝̫͚̦͓̠͎̲̰̝̞̖͔̠̳͇̹̳̫͑̊͠ͅ ̷̣̫̯̞̻̜̘̥͚͓̺̪̹͌͋͛̅̇͌̉ͅͅͅg̶̳̙̱̭͓͍̼͖̳̤̙̥̭̜̩̫̦̘̼̒͊̈̈͐̊͌̽̈́̑̏̄̏̈́͗́́̕͜u̷̧̧͎͈̫͇͈͖̠̠̺̣̭͍̞̯̪͓̰̥̬̘͌́̈́͂̎̔̏̋̇́̌̈͒̏̈́̎͒̚̕͜͝͝ͅa̵̛͎̾́̒̅̀͆͒̌̈́̎̊͆̃͌̚͘̕͝r̵̦͇̰̳̣̪̃̈́̇̐͊͊̀͛̐̐̂̑́̄͘̚͘ͅd̷̢̺̮̪̪͕̰̙͚͖̝̩͙̳͙̱̒͌̊̆͗̂͒͐̊̒̈͝i̴͕̭̠̻̹̱̯̬͔͓̯̻͉̹̯̺̜̗͑̾͌̆͗͐̄͑̐́͆̐̍̀̐̈́́̐͛̚͜a̷̧͇͓̱̜̜̘̰̠͕̦̹͓͗͋̇͂͛̈́̅͆͂̚n̶̨̧̛̙̞̭͉̗̹͖̰̺͔̱̼̮͍͎̖̗̻̠̱̹̲̎́͋̿̓̓

 

There’s something almost stubborn about the words. If things were any less serious, Hoseok would laugh. Maybe. Laughing at a giant stone human-bird-lion isn’t the greatest of ideas, and Hoseok would like to think he’s smarter than that. Kihyun’s trained him better than that, at least.

 

> ĝ̶̲̫͈̲̠͙̼͓̘̲̦͎̥͔̠̬͓̭̬͚̘̺̺̼̈́̈̐̾̾͛̓́̓̌̉̓̐̄͐͠͝ų̵̡̛̛͖̜̮̺̟͇̮̻̣̤͚̱̱̤̯̜͚̙̣̖̤̅̉͑̎̌̓͂̎̌͘a̸̰̥̱̘̠͈̾̆̃̇̀̉̋̅͛̕͜͝͝͝ṟ̴̨̡̘̗͕̱͕̝͔̙͍̺̟̯͙͍̬͉̼̯̲͇̊͑̄͜͝͠d̶̛̲̣̅͒͒̀͌͒̐̓̔̾̂̚i̶̖͕̬̤͕͑̆̊̚a̶̢̧̡͎͎͖̮̲͚̲̜͕͍͔̥͖̳̯̗̜̗̝̫͛̍̈͐̏͐͒̋̽̒̕̕͜ņ̵̡̧̡͙̻̗̬̪̜̻̝̺͚͖̰͈͓̻̜̔̎̂̿͛̋̌̾̈́͜͜͝s̷̢͓̱̪͇̞͖̱̮̩̻̪̬̪͙̝̘̮̪̙̝͊̆̇̏͐͌͆̍̆̍̔̈́̇̆͜͠͝ ̵̘̪̌͆͒̈̓͋͝d̶̨͓͈̯͍̼̱͍̗̗̮̦̖̤̈́̽̋̋̆̾̂̐̆̅̾͑̌̏̑̃̾͘͘͠ǫ̸̞̥̳̏͛͌̐͆̈̆͂̽̽́̓͒̓̈̍̃͊̅̚̕̚͝͝ ̸̢̨̦̘̰͙̭̤͈̩̝̜̣̞̘̠̳̃̍̈́͗̓̾͂̆̃̑̄̍̃͊̀̾̂̅̾̌͌̓ͅn̷̛͎̳͙͕̅̍͑̈̎͐̇̽͒͛ơ̶̞̻͉͈͎̗͇̮͉̭̖̗̌̿̀̿̔̃͒̒̇̅͒͌͘͝͝͠t̵̟̱͎̰̿̅͒̽͑̔̒́̍͋͛͗̒͐̋̒́͘͝ ̴̢͕̙͎͓̗̰͉͎̬̘̦̜͎͖͚̜̄̿̎͋̅͐̏͒̍͆͠l̵̥̪̖̠͔̹̦͉͈̼͉̮̫͌͐ͅͅe̵͎̗̠̮͈̼̫̲̭͍̰͖̭͚̲͍͌͑̀̋̏͋̔̚͠a̷̡̯̥̱̱͉͓̘͔͚̮̥̥̲͌̒̿̂̚͝v̴̨̧̧̡̛̟̼̣̮͇̩͖͙͎̌̓̃̄e̵̡̢̛̠͔̳̜̤̪̬̘͙̗̜̠̩̳̠̣͌̃̓̒̓͌̓̈́͂̓̇̓̓̆̒̚͝͝͝ͅ ̶̭̜͓̦̫̞̱̬͓͍̏̓̓̆͐̾̍̈́̎̎͆͂̈͊͝͝ţ̵̢̛̥̳͔͓̖̠̙̗͓̥̦̥͂̒͐͛̌̇̔̄̍͊̄́̂́̚͜͝ḩ̷̡̡̢͎͖̠̘̭̲̜̟̰͈͖͈͚̭̭̤̝̙͋̾͛̎́̆̃͜ͅę̴̧̧̘̹̜̱͎̮͓̹̬̟̞̙̝̻̯͚͑̈͗̑̄͜͜i̸̡̦̯͙̺͇̱͕̬̜̘̝͕̙̱̹̼̯͌͐̈́ͅͅŗ̷̧̠̣͇̘̬̖̭̤͗͒̎͐̎̃ ̸̨̨͓̟̮̤̺͑̃̈̈́͑͗̚͜͝͠p̶̧̡̞͍̦̪̠̫̟̤̬̰̬͕̫͓̖͙͂̈̍͑̍̎̀͜ö̴̢̜̖̙̲̱̰̗̥̫̜͚̰̳̭̣̗́͋̐͛̀̄̈́̀̇͌̇̊̎͌̍̒̓̐̽̒̕͜s̵̨̺͓͍̻̹̬͌̍͑̃̂̆̓͂͒̕͝ͅt̶̡̡̥̘͖͍͙̘̺̱͚̜̲͉̜̝̻̗̗̱̓̉̚s̵̢̧̢̢̞̗̟̱͙̹̞̠̦̜̯̖̾̄̋͊̅̒̋͛̓̍̋͜͠

 

“True,” Hoseok says with that same wide smile, “but I’m pretty sure you came inside anyway. And you’re still at the library. You’re protecting it. And you’re socializing. Just think of all the riddles you could ask!”

The sphinx is silent, but Hoseok would like to think it’s in thought and not because his suggestion has already been dismissed out of hand.

“Did you enjoy the cupcakes, at least?”

Watching stone move is a truly terrifying thing, because between one second and the next, the sphinx is smiling, a jagged, toothy thing that reminds him of the mouth of a predator. Human mouths were not meant to contain the teeth of lions, and Hoseok finds himself thinking that this is the stuff of nightmares.

Between one second and the next, the sphinx’s smile, sharp, jagged, and predatory, is gone, and Hoseok feels as if all the air as been knocked from his lungs. As if, by some miracle, he’s been spared the wrath of god.

 

> ṭ̶̟͙̝̬͎̞̪͓̦̤̭̞̟͋̇̈́̂̄̏͌̈́̇͊̍͌̇̈́̔͛͑̌̏̑̽̅͝h̸̨̨̢̛̝̩̰̟̱̥̟͇̗̮͕͈͈̖͑͌͆̀̌͑͑̓͆̄̆̾̔͌̈̃͊̃͐̉͜͠͝ẽ̸̹͉̦̺͖͎̘̼̮̪̪͈̜̲̜̯̘̻̖̎̆̌͒̓̈̈̇̽̾͘͠͝ͅͅy̵̡̻͙̤̖̹̱̭͓̻̜͉̦͖̘̪̰̠̾̈ ̸͓̪̍͋̓́̓̑̊̿̌̓̓̓̈́̍͒͘͘̚͘͜͝͝͝ẃ̸̧͈͍̻͎̭̝̣̗͚̭̟̟͙̥̣̟͕̹̫̻̉̍͜͝ḙ̷̛͇͓̜͇͔̪̲̗̤͖̘̤̒͊̍̈́̓͌̌͑̓̌́͘̚ŗ̵͙͕̥̣̤̳̹̓͛̇̈́̉͑́͐̿̋̍̍̌̓͝e̸̡̛͚̙͔̩̠̥̪̯̜̗̹̖͔̗̯̲͉̺̲̱̲͇͛́̎̋̀̈́̃̌̽̈͆̌̈́̔̉̈͛̈́̏̚ ̸̨͈͇̥̰̖̯̜̯͈͉̻̝̩̜̖̉̔͆́̽̆͌̕͜d̸̡͔̝̳̭͇͓͎͉̗̹̠̥̀̄̓̓̍̿͐̃̽̔̐̈́̏̋̌͂̅̚͘͝͝ͅȩ̶̝̣̘͙̊͆͛̾̈́͗͋̂͑͑̎̈́̿̽̊̐͋͑͘̚͜͝͝l̸̛̗͎̑̾͗̉͋͛̑́͒͑̅̽̚̚͠ȋ̸̢̧͔͔̠͍͉̩̟̲̹͇̯͙̲̪̟̩̬̫̠̈́̍̆̎͜c̶̡̤̙͖̠͚̦̯̝̊̎͒̅̋͑̅͌̓̿̉̐͛̽̉̀̋̐͘̚ḯ̷̡̧̖̱̱̻̯͚̼̲̯̼̦̩͖̲̪̭͜o̶̧̢̧̩̱̟̳̜̳͈̯̫͓͓̮̳̣͔̓͑̽͊̌̅̂̏̇̈́̽̃̒͐̌͜͠͝ͅư̷̢̖͖̭̙̣͚̳͕̱̠͎̗̠̹̻̙̗͕͕͎̰̟̍́̓͆͌͗͑̍̉̃͒͊̊͐͐̆s̶̨̩̱͖̰̬͈̞͉̎̏̽̈̉͊͐̕͠͠

 

“That, uh. That’s good.” Truth be told Hoseok’s still a bit floored by the smile he’d seen, the one that had brought to mind horror stories of monsters from the darkness with mouths of terrible, grinning teeth.

The sphinx doesn’t answer again, and Hoseok gives it one more look, mulling over what they’d discussed before. It occurs to him then that one thing in the equation doesn’t make sense.

“Hey, how’d you get into the library, anyway? You’re a large, stone human-bird-lion. Those doors are barely wide enough for Hyunwoo and that buff Jae-something friend of his to walk side by side. How’d you get in to kill the cupcakes?

The sphinx is quiet for the moment. That moment turns into several moments, minutes, and then much longer. When Hoseok’s patience runs out, it’s with a sigh of exasperation. “It’s not like I was going to tell. I was just curious.”

But the sphinx doesn’t answer.

Conceding defeat, Hoseok pushes away from the railing only to be stopped after two steps.

One of the sphinx’s wings lies in front of his path, obscuring not just the remaining stairs -- and therefore removing any chance he might have at getting around or over it -- but also obscuring the library doors. Kihyun had been busy when Hoseok slipped outside. No doubt he’ll be wondering where Hoseok ran off to. Hoseok can only hope he figure it out before the other guests arrive and catch him fighting with the guardian sphinx.

“Dude, I thought we were cool!” Hoseok complains, leaning back against the railing again. “I’ve answered a riddle twice today already. Can’t I have a free pass just this once?”

The sphinx shoots Hoseok a look, one that seems oddly familiar despite being set on a stone face tan on one of soft, pale skin. He wonders, vague and detached, whether Kihyun learned his look from the sphinx, or whether the sphinx picked it up from Kihyun.

“Fine,” Hoseok says with a sigh, lifting his hands in defeat. “Ask your riddle.”

 

> i̵̛̛̗̲̥̭̪͓̥͚̒̓̑̽́̆̽͋̑͋̈́̂̀̓̿͘̕̚͝͠͠ ̶̣̯̹̖̠̦̫͓̔̄́̽̏̉̀̚͘͝s̷̢͉̱̘͍̩̬̜̺͆p̴̨̨̱̰̬̪̘̄͗̓̾ě̶̛͚̪̫̻͚̭̼͉̹̣̪̭̗̒̓̈́̈̈̈́̅̉͛͌͝ͅa̶̦̖͒́̓͐͂́̆̕k̷̛͚͎͖̠̹̄̂̂͆̎̍̆̅̒̽̿̀̆͒̑̏̈́͌͘̕͝ ̶̢̧̖̠̮̭͎̿̈́̾͆͐͂͊̈͌̐̿w̷͔̱͎̤̙̹̘̦̣͗͊͆̓̈́͜͠͝͠͝i̷̼̬͑̈́͆́͐̎̀̂͆̃̐̄̕ţ̷̺͈̬͎̜͓̞̲̹͉̻̲̌͝h̵̢̡͎̻͉̭̹̥̬͚͉̹̬͇͚̠̝̹̤͔̣͐͊͐̽̏o̶̟̦̖̝̥͋͆͛̔̐̉͆̄̎̌̂̐̑̉̂͘͘̕̚ͅu̶̢̧̧̙͇̹̫̳͍͎̹̬̲̮̟̬̘ͅt̵̠̟͖͔͎̪̓͒͌̆̆̿̓̏ ̴͍̮͎̌̒̊͐̀̏͒͗̾͑̍͆͛̀̋͑̈̈́̓͠͠͠͠ā̶̭̗̐̀̀̿̔̍͊͗̉́̈́̎͌̃͌̄͘̚̚͝ ̶̡̛̗̲͖̲̗̰̻͕̙̱͕̜̻̥̰̈̎̎͊̋̃͊̽̾͆̃͌͐̚͘͜͠͠͝͝m̷̧̡̨̨̡̛̛̛͕̲̹͍̜̣̫̺̯̟͈̘͍̈́͌̄̏̐̊̑̈́̍́̿͆͒̐͋ͅo̵̝͓̝̠̯̪̘̤͖̠̭̪̮͎̣̘̠̱̰͊̓͝ͅu̵̧̧̯̜̜̱̼̩͎̝̣͔̳̟̺͆̌̅͌̓̿̆͊̄̕͘ͅţ̴̛̣̟͔͔͓͔͚̙͎̬̜̹̍̂̋̎̊̕͜ͅḩ̸̨͎̞̩̞̼̣̮͚̖̫̭̖̽̑̿̌̓̎͌̐̃͋̇̑̒̆͘͘͝͝͝ͅ ̷̗̳̦͊̏ͅả̵̡͉̝̱̘̝̮̯̺̱͈͙͉̼̉̍͆̒̈́͊̚n̷̡̲̫͚̯͔͈̙̒͐͗̌̈́̎̈́̑̉͊̂̂̄̽͐̚͘͘̚͝ͅd̶̡͚̳̥̜̖̲̄ ̸̧̛̫̞͙̹͉̖̩̘̞͇̻̮͍̙̿̓̀̌̎͛̈̒̆̈́̀͒̈́̓̋̓͒͌͠ͅh̸̢̨̞̳͚̤̺̘͛͌̀́̓͂͘̕e̴̡͓̖͍͇̮̝̪͚̘͚̥̫̝͌͆̓͂͒̀̾̓̊̋̏̕͘̕̚̚ͅä̶̡̧̢̞̪̰̬͙͖͍͙̟͕͕̩͇̦̭͓̮͉̰́̒̈́͆̍̅̃̆̍̉̌͜͝r̶̨̤̗͊̆̇̏̅̉̎̃͋̾̇̌̃͋̐͘ ̷̨̱͎̹͉̣̣̳̦̥̩͔͕̻̯̣͍͇͑̈̊̿̂͆̌́̂̌́̕̚̚w̶̡̧̧̳̥̟̘͇̥͇̙̯͈͔̬͖͎̩̹̬͎͑͗̏̀͗̐͋̐̈͜ͅï̷̩͇̹̬͔͓̤̦͇̬̹̻̮̙̦̫̬̯̙̺̰̈̂̎͌̈́̑̂̆͛̋͜͝ṱ̸̨̧̨̢͈͔̼͚̮͎̣̦̞͕̲̻͍͕̫̙͆̐͒̆͛̒̕̕̕͜͝h̷̨̛͎̥̪̭̖͎͊̾̆͜ơ̶̢̢̡̨̧̡̛̗̗͎̟̣̦͍͕̰̟̘͙͍̆̿̎͘͝͝u̵̡̡̡͓͍̼̘̰͓̝̰̦̦͍̦̦̘̱̯͙͎̍͛͛̓̾͜ţ̴̡̨͙̹̭͑͐͗͛̂̔̌̄͂̓̈́̕͘̚ ̸̡̨̡̯̦͍̜̖̥͍̭͔͙̫̳͈͍͛͐͑̽̄̎̆͠͝͠͠ͅe̴̡̢̟̺͉̮̬̤̰̤͔̹̪͖̦̖͙̤̻̜̟̬͈̹͛͐͌͋̔̒̚ǎ̶̡̞̲̦͖̹̖̫͉̱͚͙̘̙̆͊͝͝r̷̡̨͚̫̼̥̼̪̲̟̲̥̭̩͙̀̃͐̓̀̓̉͊̿̿͐̅͂̐͋̌͊̔͜͝͝s̵̨̧̡̢̖̻͙̟̭̮̰͔̮͖̱͖͉̲̜͙̩̄̈́̒͗͆̈́͛̂͋̓̉̈́͗̏͆̍̌̏͘͜͜͠ͅ.̵̨͙̥̭̭͓̝͕̲̼̫̩̞̺̩͓̮͐̂̋̀̽̄͝ ̶̨̨̛̪͔͖̘̣̭̰̜͚̜̹͎̹̦̬̜̖͍̥̼̟̃̇͌͐̋̓͘͠ͅį̸̡̨̛̠͓̖͓̪̝͚͎͙̮̯̗͚̼͌͌͊͑̍̂͂͛̈́̒̅̽̉̑̾͘̕͜͠ͅ ̶̝̬̙̈́̇͛̒͂͂̀̈͒̂̅͋̎͂̍͑̄̃̕̚͝͝͝h̶̝̪͕͚̩͎̫̯̖͙̦̹̉͒̍̒̋́̏̒̉̋̃̑̾̔͜͜͠͠͠ͅą̴̛̛̦̤̮̥̝͉͍͖̳̘͎͔̦̻͕͋̎̓̏̒̆̑͑͒͊͆͛̒͊̚͝ͅv̴̢̧̬̝͔̤̞̹͇͕̲̱̄̾͒̌͆̃͛͋͋͐̈́̈́̐̓͆̔̏͒̂̈́̚͜͠͝ͅͅe̴̛̱͚̩̫̟̞͖̫͇̠̙̰̪̦̎̽̊͛͗̓̂̓͛̃̐̓̑̊͛̓ ̸̨̧̡̨̨̨̛̛̟̠̟͍̮͖̳̘̜̲̾̿̅̈́̾̀̊͐̎͑͌̆͜n̶̜̦̰̦̩͇̒͊̔̽̽͒̈́͐͗͂͛̇̈̍̅͆̔͋̚̚͠o̸̟͇̜͉̗̓̆͒̓̔̓͑͛͘͝ͅ ̴̧̛̱̟̖͔̮̟̝̮͖̳̖͚̘̲͓͖͓̣̦̌͑̊̇͗͋̐̇͆͜͝ͅͅb̶̩͍̼̾̆̅͆̀̆̽̔̈̀̈͊͘͘͠ō̴̠͚͍̝͚̰̞̇͛͜͜͜d̸̜̹̺̺̟̪̜̖̻̓̎̐͛͗͑̂͊̏͑̈́̑̈̄͋͆̊̌͝͝͠͝͝ͅy̸̡̨̢̛̝̜̫̤̥͕͍̝͙͍̳̖͈̠͚͒͐̓̄̏̏̐͑̽̄̽̚,̵͈͍̫̲̳̺̩͈̙̠̙͕̩̽ ̶̢̡̮̻͉̻͍̤̱̳͉̺̘̭̂͐̊̀̒̓̈́͗̿͂͌͘̚͜͝b̷̫̱̜̜̖͚͓̈̾͑̇̽̉̊͐͗̒͂͝ͅͅu̴̟͕̳̠̰̜̟̲̼̝̻̤̥̤̪̗̻̝̙͒̒ͅt̸̹̪̹̓͊̈́͑ ̷̛̣̟̮̠̫i̵̢̧̨̨̧̛͕͓̻̟̖͎̭̱̲̰̖̰̮̝͌̊̍̅̉̌̅̏̓͊̚̚̚͘͠ͅͅ ̷̛̺̻̯̭̹͕̯̃̊̆̔͊͐͂̈́͐̎̽͊̋̐̓̑̕c̷͍͍̯̰͕̪̻̭̣͍̯͇̜͓̺̦͍͖͚̼̭̩͂̄̔̅͜o̴̧̡̡̲̭͓̜͍̼̦͈̞̳̻̔̽̒̅̈́̈́m̷̧͓̬̺̰̖̯̜̙̳̣̻͇̟͚͚̩̼͑͌̎̽̓̑̄͑̈̌͗͛͐͒̒͋̒ẻ̵̡̛͙̘̳̻̫̺̠̳̩͕͎͕̼̣͍̯͈̩͚̺̼̍̊̑͆̑̄̿̍̄̌̉͑̓̊͛̒̓̍͠ͅ ̵̢̡͙̮̘̩̯͍̞̖͙͓̘̦̲̺̖̼̮͍̓̎͠a̶̡̦̱̗̰͇̮͖̱̟͇͔͓̙͖̠̳͍̹͆ľ̶̡̛̝̮̻̬̞̜̩̞͎̥̞̼̦͋͛̀̑͘͠ị̵͉͇͉̩̝̟͍̹̗̲͉̪͖̣̺̮̞͍́̈́̎v̴͔̳̏͌̌͐͗̉͌̽̈́̂͛͐̆̎̓̈́̑̊̈́͜ë̵̘͉̜͇͚̝͔̝̱̫́̊̍̏̎͆̈́̈́̑̃͑̏͑͑̕̕̕̕̕ ̸̮͎w̸̧̗͙̙̙̳̮̘͎̻̳̹̣̪̹͇̩̋̔̓̃̂̽̉̀̑̉̈́͒̋̎͊̅̕̕̚į̷̢̢̛̩̜̖̝͖̼̺̻̗̯̤̺͓̫̙̳͚̲͔͚̄͑̏̾͜͠ţ̸̢̢̮͍͙̼̖̺͚̝̮͎̼̘͖̟̘͋̽͒̓͛͛̉̅͗̓́̈́̇̈̀̈́͘͘͝͠͝ͅͅh̵͎̹͚̝̯̘̓̆̑̾͛̍̒̓̅͛͒͛̅̅͒͘̚̕͝͝ͅ ̷̘̥̲̰͉͚͇̉̏̈́͒͗̎̏̿̌̍̆̉w̶̪̺̉̈́͌̆̎̇̍̑͂̇̓̃͊̇̓͠i̷̪̬̹̜̪͕̬̯͑̈́n̶̨̝͕͎̫̦͔̻͙̐̏͑͂̒̑̂̏̈́̿̈́̈́̓̎̀͌̔̚͜͝ḍ̸̢̘̙̺͕̪̺͖̝̰͉̞̘͕͉̘̝̮̟̤͔̄͛͌̈̈́̈́̔͂̚͜ͅ.̶̛̬̩͖̠͇̣̣̬́͂̒̾̓̽̾̈̈́̈̓͂̅̾͛̉̅͝͝͝ ̷̧̢̛̻̰͎̣̖̱̝̜́̒̐͛͂͂̆̈͛̽͒ẘ̸̧̢̢̥͚̬̬̇̐̂̈́̇̑̏̾̅͐̌̏͘͝͠h̶̻̘͕͈̖͌̆̽͜͝ä̸̛͉͖̦͉͚̬̬͖͔̪́̆̃̔͌̄̍̾̃̎̔̏̎̋̂̅̄̃̂̚̕ͅt̴̡̛̛̮͙̥̯̰̬̺̗͌̓̓͗̒̅̈́͌͐̅͛͛͒̎͛͌̋̊͒̕̕͠ ̷̛̛̤͚̥̖̠͙̻̞̤͇̫̳̯̯̯̘̝̯̟̜̙̣͎͉̾̓̉͋̔̈́̌̊̌̽͌͂̈̅͘͝a̸̤͔̟̔̌͛̈͑͋̈̆m̵͕̈́̀̈́̉̿̈̊͗͛̈́́͑̾̚͠ ̸͔̩̯̥͓͙̩͛̌̾͊̈̈́͌̊̈́̐̊̐͊i̶̧̳͍͙̝͍̲̪̺̟̦͕̰̒̑̐͐͆̽͛̉̈́͆́͒̏͘͠?̷̙͑̈ͅ

 

_Shit._

“Shit.” He’s so eloquent sometimes. “Did you give me a hard one on purpose?”

No answer,  just the curl of lips and the reminder of sharp, jagged teeth.

“Can I have a hint?”

 

> n̶̢̫̱̰͍̰͓͆̎̄̉͝o̸̠̹̭̣̣̬̝̻̯̿̋̎̊̾̏͠͝

 

“Can I phone a friend?”

 

> n̶̢̫̱̰͍̰͓͆̎̄̉͝o̸̠̹̭̣̣̬̝̻̯̿̋̎̊̾̏͠͝

 

“Please?”

 

> n̶̢̫̱̰͍̰͓͆̎̄̉͝o̸̠̹̭̣̣̬̝̻̯̿̋̎̊̾̏͠͝

 

“Well, _shit_.”

**Author's Note:**

> If the Sphinx's speech is too difficult to read, I can alter the text overlay to make it a little easier. But the formatting is kind of necessary.  
> Just feedback. In general. Would be nice.
> 
> If you know the answer to the Sphinx's riddle without looking it up, I'll give you some of my ooey gooey cake cookies!


End file.
